Renovation of Beaver Stadium Approved by Penn State Trustees

© Matthew O'Haren- USA Today Network

Following a 26-2 vote with three abstaining, a renovation of Penn State's Beaver Stadium was approved on Tuesday by the Penn State Board of Trustees.

The goal of the construction is to widen select concourses, install new escalators, replace the current videoboard and make the stadium more accessible for winter months, among other changes.

That final goal comes with the hopes of the university hosting a College Football Playoff Game in the near future.

The changes to help modernize Beaver Stadium would help to make gamedays safer as Athletic Director Patrick Kraft stated that operational standards are at the forefront of the construction process.

Aside from the annual spring game, the university does not hold many events at Beaver Stadium after the football season with concerts mainly hosted at the neighboring Bryce Jordan Center. That comes with the exception of a concert from country music star Luke Combs in April which hosted more than 80,000 people and set a record for the largest crowd he's ever performed in front of.

Additionally, the university will be creating a new welcome center which would include a 21,000 square-foot facility for any events. The event-space would help to serve as a connection point for prospective students and athletes alike.

Construction would take place following the 2024 season with completion time expected to be before the start of the 2027 football season. The construction period is expected to be split into three different periods during each offseason.

The total project is expected to cost no more than $700 million and is fully paid for by Intercollegiate Athletics. Renovating the stadium would eliminate around $200 million in major maintenance costs.

An initial expenditure of $70 million for the stadium's renovation was approved back in January which helped lead to Tuesday's vote by the board.

The renovation is expected to also fuel the future funding for all 31 athletic programs at the university.

Currently, Beaver Stadium is the second largest stadium in college football behind Michigan Stadium and fourth largest in the world with a capacity of 106,572 fans. Penn State has called Beaver Stadium its home since 1960.